Steam-turbine.



W/TNESSES I B I f/mfl/ No. 767,189. PATENTED AUG. 9,1904,

-0. WEIGHELT. STEAM TURBINE.

APPLIUATION FILED MAE. 25, 1902.

N0 MODEL. 7 v 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' Arrow Us.

No. 767,189. r PATENTE D AUG. 9, 1904.

' G. WEIO'HELT.

STEAM TURBINE;

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 25, 1902.

4 SHEETS-SHEET a.

NO MODEL.

VEN' I A77'0/7NEVS WITNESSES No. 767,189. PATENTED' AUG. 9, 1904.

' c. WEIGHBLT.

STEAM TURBINE.

NVENTO I 'ATIOHNEY Patented August 9, .1904.

PATENT @rrrcn.

CARL l/VEIGHELT, OF MOSCOW, RUSSIA.

STEAM-TURBINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 767,189, dated August 9, 1904,

Application filed March 25, 1902. Serial No; 99,853. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL VEICHELT, engineer, a subjectof the German Emperor, residing at Charitoniewski Pereulok 1, Moscow, Russia, have invented certain new'and useful Improvements in Steam-Turbines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to steam-turbines; and it consists, essentially, in the arrangement of steam-guide cells or chambers around the rim of the turbine-wheel and in the special shaping as well as the mounting or attachment of the separate readily-interchangeable vanes.

The invention consists, more specifically, in the arrangement of guide-cells, increasing in size from the steam-inlet toward the steamoutlet of the wheel, or vice versa. The wheel is so constructed that the making of the guidecells, which are in general very difficult to construct accurately, is facilitated. In each of these cells the separate steam-jets leaving the channels of the turbine-wheel are collected in a single powerful jet, which is successfully conducted to the rim of the wheel, alternately from one side to the other, for the purpose of gradually utilizing the velocity of the steam in proportion to its increasing volume. By these means nearly all the energy resident in the steam is made use of, thereby obviating the objectionable loss of steam, with its inherent energy, as is usual in the steam-turbines heretofore in use.

As compared with the known devices for turbines with single inserted vanes the improved construction and its special mode of attachment has decided advantages, as it permits the easy interchanging of any single vane, the employment of a greater number of vanes, a peculiar shaping of the vanes, and their arrangement in close contact with each other along their whole length. The vanes are thereby stiffened against each other, so as to take up the strain of the steam-pressure and centrifugal force respectively.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of the improved steam-turbine in combination with a steaminlet governor and showing the special combination of rings arranged around the rim. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of Fig.

1, taken on the line A B. Figs. 3 to 7 show several modified constructions of the rings forming the guide-cells. tive view of one vane for turbines for singlerimmed wheels, with a curved surface for the steam-channel, also showing a shoulder arranged on the vane. Fig. 9 isacross-section of the vane in Fig. 8,taken through the shoulder. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a similar vane, but havinga recess instead of a shoulder, also having a cross-wall which acts as an end wall for the steam-channel. Fig. 11 is a cross-sec- .tion of the vane shown in Fig. 10, taken through the recess. Fig. 12 is a perspective view of vanes provided with a recess, with two channels and the corresponding two cross-walls, such as generally used for turbines of large dimensions and for multiple-step turbines. Fig. '13 is a cross-section of a vane, as shown in Fig. 12. Fig. 14: shows the means of mounting vanes, provided with a recess on the disk of the turbine-Wheel, and showing also the shoulder of the closing-piece engaging in the recess of the vane. Fig. 15 is a view of the closing-piece for the opening of the circular groove of the turbine-wheel after the vanes have been placed therein. Fig. 16 shows the closing-piece viewed from the center of the turbine-wheel. Fig. 17 shows the means of attaching the vanes shown in Fig. 13 to the disk of the turbine-wheel. Fig. 18 shows the closing-piece for the introductionopening for these vanes in the circular groove of the disk of the turbine-wheel. Fig. 19

shows the means of attaching or mounting several rows or series of vanes on the disk of the turbine-wheel, and Fig. 20 shows the closing-piece for the construction shown in Fig. 19.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, the singlerimmed multiple-step radial steam-turbine A consists of a turbine-wheel 1 and vanes 2 inserted in the rim. The turbinewheel is mounted on the shaft 3, which is journaled in a special fitting 5 and stuffing-bo'x L of the turbine-casing 6 and in the outer bearing 7 of the frame 8 on one side and on the opposite side in the stufling-box 9 of the casing- Fig. 8 is a perspec cover 10. The casing cover contains the steam-guide cells of the turbine-wheel, which are arranged to gradually utilize the velocity of the steam-jets until the velocity becomes almost equal to the peripheral speed of the turbine-wheel, whereby the steam is almost completely utilized and the speed of the turbine reduced, so as not to require intermediate gearing for driving secondary machinery. The steam-inlet chamber 11 is mounted on the casing-eover and incloses the steam-inlet governor 16. This governor consists of the cylindrical steam cup or box 12, the hollow annular slide-valve 16, and the outlet-channel 13. The steam-inlet governor 16 is operated by means of pulleys 18 19, operating a centrifugal governor 14 and intermediate lever 15. The slide-valve 16 is provided with steam-inlet openings 17. The various steam-guide cells are arranged at opposite sides of the rim of the turbine in the form of a spiral and increase in size in the direction of the rotation of the turbine-wheel, or vice versa.

The steam or other actuating fluid flows from the channel 13 into the channels 45 of the vanes, then alternately through the successivelyincreasing steam-guide cells 21 and channels 4.5, and finally toward the steam-outlet 22. The size of the steam-guide cells is made to increase in proportion to the volume of the steam-jet, as the steam in consequence of its loss of speed gradually increases in volume. The number of steam-guide cells depends on the steam-pressure on the peripheral speed of the turbine-wheel and on the angles of inlet and outlet of its channels 15. These data have to be ascertained by calculation and construction. The steam-guide cells 21 are formed on those sides of the rings 23 and 24 which are adjacent to the rim of the turbine-wheel, Figs. 1 and 2, and over these rings 23 and 2 1 are placed on both sides circular-shaped coverplates 25 and 26, which are screwed to the rings by means of bolts 27. The steam-guide cells 21 are formed by the curved guide-surfaces of the rings 23 and 2 1 and laterally by the inner surfaces of the plates 25 and 26.

i The steam-guide cells 21 are shown in Fig. 1

in cross-section and in Fig. 2 in front view. The combined rings, with their guide-cells, are journaled in the casing 10. as shown in Fig. 1.

Instead of employing the ring combination described it is possible to form the two coverplates 25 on both sides of the rim of the turbine in case of combined turbine, the baseplates in one piece by somewhat hollowing out the cover-plate 25 in the center for the free end of the vanes, as shown in Fig. 7, or the disks 23 24 are formed in one piece with the cover-plate 25 common to both, as shown in Fig. 3, or two separate cover-plates are used, as shown in Fig. 1. In a similar manner the cover-plates 26 may he formed in one piece with the rings 23 24 when the cover-plate 25 is common to both these rings, as shown in Fig. 5, or the cover-plate 26 may be separated, as shown in Fig. 6.

In order to allow the steam to completely enter the vane-channels, the width of the space 21 that is, the distance between the two cover-plates25 26-is constructed somewhat smaller than the height of the vane-channels 45. For the same reason the edges of the cover-plates 25 26 are somewhatrounded ofi outwardly where the steam from the channels 45 enters the cells 21, or, in other words, the inlet to the cells 21 is greater than the height of the vane-channels 45, so that the steam entering from the vane into the steamguide cells 21 shall not come in contact with the projecting edges of the cells, as for this purpose the channel 45 proper may of course not be altered in shape. The steam-inlet cup 12, Figs. 1, 2, forms with the steam-guide cells 21 and the steam-outlet chamber 22 a continuous channel, which is completed by the separate channels 4C5 of the vanes of the turbinewheel. Small turbines are provided with one and larger turbines with several such channels. It is of course not necessary to arrange this continuous channel around the whole rim. In case of large turbines shorter continuous channels may be arranged around the rim of the turbine and provided with different inlets and outletsfor the driving medium.

The steam passes out of the channel 18 of the cup 12 (shown in Figs. 1 and 2) in form of a steam-jet and entering the channels 45 of the rim of the turbines, in consequence of its deflected revolving movement, with diminished velocity, and therefore imparts a rotatory movement to the turbine-wheel in the direction of the arrow, as in Fig. 2. By passing through the channels 45 from the exterior to the interior the steam-jet loses by friction in the surface of the vanes a further amount of its velocity, so that after leaving the channels 45 it has lost for the second time a certain amount of its speed. From the channels &5 the steam-jet passes to the first steam-guide cell 21, and on account of its deflected movement, due to the rotation of the wheel, its speed has been again diminished. In passing the parabolically-curved wall of the front guidecell 21. the steam-jet has again sustained a loss of speed by friction, so that by the time it leaves the cell 21 it has been four times diminished in speed. From the first inner cell 21 the steamjet passes again to the channels 45 of the rim and is again diminishedin speed in consequence of the deflected movement due to the rotatory motion of the turbine-wheel, thereby imparting again rotatory motion to the wheel. This is repeated from cell to cell until the velocity of the steamjet which leaves the vanes of the wheel is diminished so as to almost equal the peripheral speed of the turbine-wheel. This condition is so determined by experimental construction and calculation that when the steam arrives at and flows through the outlet-chamber 22 into the atmosphere or into a condenser this condition is attained. Thus the steamjet imparts in this manner all its actual force to the turbine-wheel step by step or successively from one steam-guide cell to the next one.

Any suitable propelling fluid may be employed instead of steam, and theturbine may be mounted in any desired position. In a similar manner this construction maybe employed for axial turbines, in which case the guide-body is not arranged at the inside of the inner or at the outside of the outer circumference, but at the right or left of the rim. The blades in this case project radially from the turbine-wheel and diminish in width in the well-known manner toward the center of the wheel.

Among the advantages of the special turbine construction described is the fact that all the inner steam-guide cells 21 are arranged in a common concentric inner ring 23 on the inner periphery of the rim, and in a similar manner all the outer steam-guide cells 21 are arranged in a common concentric outer ring 2% and in the plane of rotationof the vanes and of the steam-inlet cup 12. These concentric rings, with their paraboliCally-curved guide-cells, are limited laterally by the cover plates 25 and 26. As before mentioned, these plates may be fastened to the rings by means of screws 27 and are introduced in this form in the turbine-casing. As the plates are interchangeable it is possible to construct the guidecells accurately and economically as well as to provide the same with smooth and polished walls, thereby avoiding any loss of velocity by steam friction and at the same time arrange open and easily-accessible cells. It is also possible to give the cells the form of nozzles with'smooth inner walls by inserting an appropriately-curved piece 28,as shown in the last outer cell 21 of Fig. 2. These insertions, however, are not absolutely necessary. Although the guide-cells form chambers which are open in the direction of the rim and which are only partially filled by the steam, the latter has'a suflicient lead along the concavely-curved wall of the cell, and it is always forced to come in contact with said wall on account of its tendency to move in the direction of the tangent line. To attain the desired speed of the motor fluid, it is necessary to make the last guide-cells of a size corresponding to the proportional increase of the preceding guide-cells. The size of the guide-cells, however, is limited by the size of the ring disks, which are I limited by the turbine itself. To attain the proper direction of flow and velocity of the motor fluid, it is necessary to give the guide-walls at first a concave and then a convex curvature. This convex curvature would, however, not suffice to efficiently lead the steam back to the vanerim, for which reason the insertion-pieces are necessary. The friction of the steam-jet along the smooth polished walls of the guide-cells is exceedingly slight, so that the efliciency of the turbine is not decreased on this account. The turbine can be easily mounted and taken apart, access to the interior being obtained by the removal of the cover of the casing.

The turbine may also be constructed with two rimsas, for instance, in steamships, in such a manner that the inner rim may be arranged for left-hand and the outer one for right-hand rotation, or vice versa. In this case the apparatus for controlling the entering steam is employed for both rims and is adjusted by hand and not controlled by a governor, as for single-rim turbines. For still further increasing the power two concentric rims may be used, and the steam-jet may then enter them from the same steam-inlet. The turbine may also be provided with two wheels mounted side by side on the same shaft, so as to obtain a double efiectthat is, the effect of a machine of double poweror one turbine-- wheel may be employed as a right-hand wheel for the forward movement and as a left-hand wheel for the backward movement. To ac,- com plish the same purpose, one turbine-wheel may be mounted with rims on both sides.

When two wheels are employed, the shaft is preferably arranged to project on both sides of the turbine-casing and is journaled on both sides of the same.

It will be seen from Figs. 8 and 13 that the vanes proper do not project from any pecul- 7 iarly-shaped basis, but project from the exact continuation of the planes of their basis. Therefore they are uniformly constructed along their entire length-that is, theyv are curved in such a manner on the inner and outer side that the concave front or outer plane 44 of the vane previously inserted into the ring-shaped groove 33 of the turbine-wheel or guide-body is exactly adjacent to or touches the inner face 43 of each succeeding vane. These vanes arecast or shaped in equal length from rods of equal cross-section throughout their entire length and have the same curvature for their inner face 43 as for their outer face 44, by means of which the exact contact of the vanes with each other is attained. The centers of curvature of these vane-faces are of course situated on the same curve. Y The curvature of the inner face 46 of the steamchannel 45is sometimes the same as that of the inner face of the vane, as shown in Figs. 8 and ll that is, these faces are parallel, as is the case with single-rimmed wheels. In

these the curvature of the working surface A6 of the steam-channel is greater than that of the inner face 43 of the vane, and as the, curvatures of these faces have the same center the inlet and outlet 47 and 4.8 for the steam are of equal dimensions. Should the inner and outer faces of the vanes not be curved in arcs of a circle, but of some other but equal curvature elliptical, for example-the face 46 need evidently not be parallel with the face 43.

In case of wheels with two or more rims the curvature of the working surface 46 of the steam-channel I5 is greater than that of the inner face 43 0f the vanes, and the centers of these curvatures do not fall together, but are so placed that the curvatures of the steam-channel and inner face come toward each other, so that a different width of the steam inlet and outlet is obtained. The steamchannel 4:5 may be located at the end of the vanes, as shown in Fig. 8, or it may be bored out somewhat distant from the end, as shown in Fig. 10, in which case the separating-wall 4:9 is allowed to remain. This prevents the escape of the steam in axial direction from the vane, thereby obviating any axial pressure. This Wall forms at the same time an end contact-plane for the preceding vane, whereby an essential stiffening of that part is attained, which protrudes from the disk or guide body of the turbine. This stiffening avoids any deformation or breaking ofi of the vanes by the pressure of the steam-jet or by the centrifugal force of the wheel-rim. This may easily take place when vanes without cross-Walls, as shown in Fig. 8, are used.

The steam-channel 45 is formed by the concave face 46 of the vane on one-side and by the outer surface 1 1 of the previously-inserted or preceding vane, which surface 44 closes the recess 45 of the vane so as to form a channel.

In vanes for larger turbines, such as shown in Fig. 12, two steam-channels are arranged, and in such a case a cross-Wall 50 is provided between the two channels, so as to produce, on the one hand, a greater stability or support for the vanes and, on the other hand, a very useful effect when the steam is not fully admitted to the turbine. The reason for this is that the steam-jet leaving the partially-open channel 13 of the steam-inlet valve is prevented within certain limits from spreading in an axial direction and filling out the whole of the steam-channel, which would cause a loss of velocity or useful effect of the steam-jets.

After all the vanes have been inserted in the openings 34%, which conduct radially to the ring-groove 33, the opening 34: is closed by a corresponding closing-piece 51. These closing-pieces, after the insertion in the opening 34: and after engaging with the recess 41, are screwed directly to the turbine-wheel or guidebody respectively, as shown in Fig. 1st, or they are loosely introduced and kept in position by special pieces 52, which are likewise attached by screws, as shown in Figs. 17 to 20. These vanes, provided with shoulders or recesses, with which they engage corresponding recesses or shoulders of the ring-groove 33, maybe employed. in radial single or multiple stepped turbine-wheels or guide-bodies in one or more concentrically-arranged rims. They may also be employed for axial turbines.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. Ina steam-turbine, the combination with a turbine-wheel and a plurality of vanes for said. turbine-wheel, of ring-disks provided with a pluralityof guide-cells, and cover-plates for said ring-disks, the guide-cells being arranged alternately on opposite sides of the vanes of the turbine-wheel, substantially as set forth.

2. In a steam-turbine, the combination ofa casing, a turbine-wheel arranged in said casing and provided with an annular groove, a plurality of vanes inserted in said groove, ringdisks provided with a plurality of guide-cells arranged alternately on opposite sides of the turbine-wheel, and plates for covering said ring-disks, substantially as set forth.

3. In a steam-turbine, the combination with a turbine-wheel and a plurality of vanes for said turbine-wheel, of ring-disks provided with a plurality of guide-cells, and coverplates for said ring-disks inclosing said guidecells, the guide-cells being arranged alternately on opposite sides of the vanes of the turbine-wheel and graduallyincreasing in size, substantially as set forth.

4. In asteam-turbine, the combination of a casing, a turbine wheel arranged in said casing and provided with an annular groove, a plurality of vanes inserted in said groove, ring-disks provided with a plurality of guidecells gradually increasing in size and arranged alternately on opposite sides of the vanes of the turbine-wheel, and plates for covering said ring-disks, substantially as set forth.

5. In a steam-turbine, the combination with a turbine-wheel and a plurality of vanes for the same, of ring-disks provided in their faces adjacent to the vanes with a plurality of parabolically-curved steam-guide cells,and coverplates for said ring-disks,said guidecells being arranged alternately on opposite sides of the vanes of the turbine-Wheel, of gradually-increasing size, and having the distance between the cover-plates of the guide-cells smaller than the height of the vane-channels for the free ingress of the incoming steam, and the width of the guide-cells at their steam-inlet larger than the height of the vane-channel for the free egress of the outgoing steam, substantially as set forth.

6. In a steam-turbine, the combination With a turbine-wheel, of a plurality of interchangeable vanes for the same, said vanes being of curved cross-section along their whole lengths and of the same curvature both on their inner and outer faces, so that the inner face of one vane fits exactly the outer face of the preceding vane, said concave inner face being provided with a cut-away portion so as to form a steam-channel with the outer face of the preceding vane, substantially as set forth.

7. In a steam-turbine, the combination of a casing, a turbine-wheelin said casing, and a plurality of interchangeable vanes for said turbine-wheel, said vanes being of curved cross-section throughout their lengths and of the same curvature both on their inner and outer faces, the inner face of one vane fitting the outer face of the preceding vane, each vane being partially cut away at one end on its inner concave face so as to form a steamchannel with the outer face of the preceding vane, substantially as set forth.

8. In a steam-turbine, the combination of a casing, a turbine-wheel in said casing, and a plurality of interchangeable vanes for i said turbinewheel, said vanes being of curved cross-section throughout their lengths and of the same curvature both' on their inner and outer faces, the inner face of one vane fitting the outer face of the preceding vane, each vane being partially cut away on its inner concave face so as to form a steam-channel with the outer face of the preceding vane, the curvature of said cutaway portion being greater than that of the inner face of the vane, substantially as set forth.

9. In a steam-turbine, the combination of a casing, a turbine-wheel arranged in said casing, and a plurality of interchangeable vanes for said turbine-wheel, said vanes being of curved cross-section throughout their lengths and of the same curvature both on their inner and outer faces, each vane being partially cut away on its inner concave face so as to form a steam-channel with the outer face of the preceding vane, the curvature of said cutaway portion forming the working face of the steam-channel, being so arranged that the curvature of said cut-away portion and the inner face of the vane converge at one side of the vane and diverge at the opposite side, so that the steam inlet and outlet are of a different size when said cut-away portions are closed by the outer face of the next preceding vane, substantially as set forth.

10. Ina steam-turbine, the combination ofa casing, a turbine-wheel arranged in said casing, and a plurality of interchangeable vanes of curved cross section throughout their lengths and of the same curvature both on their inner and outer faces, the inner face of one vane fitting the outer face of the preceding vane, each vane being partially cut away on its concave inner face so that the remaining uncut part of the vane contacts with the outer face of the next preceding vane so as to limit the steam-channel, substantially as set forth.

11. In a steam-turbine, the combination of a casing, a turbine-wheel arranged in said casing, and a plurality of interchangeable vanes, said vanes being of curved cross-section and of the same curvature both on their inner and outer faces, the inner face of one vane fitting the outer face of the preceding vane, each vane being partially cut away on its concave inner face at several points so as to form crosswalls contacting with the next preceding vane, and so a plurality of steam-channels, substantially as set forth.

12. In a steam-turbine, the combination with turbine-wheel, provided with a groove, of a plurality of vanes inserted in said groove, said vanes being of curved cross section throughout their lengths and of the same curvature both on their inner and outer faces, and provided with a recess adapted to engage with a corresponding lug in the groove of the turbine-wheel, substantially as set forth.

18. In a steam turbine, vanes of curved cross-section along their whole lengths and having their inner and outer faces of the same curvature, the inner face of one vane fitting the outer face of the preceding vane and the inner concave face being cut away at one end of the vane so as to form a steam-channel with the outer face of the preceding vane, substantially as set forth.

14:. In a steam turbine, vanes of curved cross-section along their whole lengths and having their inner and outer faces of the same curvature, the inner face of one vane fitting the outer face of the preceding vane and'the inner concave face having a portion cut away at some distance from the end of the vane so as to form a steam-channel with the outer face of the preceding vane, substantially as set forth.

15. In a steam-turbine, vanes of curved cross-section throughout their lengths and having both their inner and outer faces of the same curvature, the inner face of one vane fitting the outer face of the preceding vane and the inner concave face being provided with a cutaway portion so as to form a steamchannel with the outer face of the preceding vane, substantially as set forth.

16. In a steam-turbine, vanes of curved cross-section throughout their whole'lengths and having both their inner and outer faces of the same curvature, each vane being partially cut away on its inner concave face so as to form a steam-channel with theouter face of the preceding vane, said channel being limited by the remaining parts of the vane, which form cross-walls contacting with the outer face of the next preceding vane, substantially as set forth.

17 In a steam-turbine, vanes of curved cross-section throughout'their lengths and having both their inner and outer faces of the same curvature, the inner face of one vane fitting the outer face of the preceding vane, each vane being partially cut away on its inner concave face at several points, so as to form cross-Walls contacting With the next preceding vane and so a plurality of steamchannels, substantially as set forth.

ln testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presenee of two subscribing Witnesses.

CARL VVEICHELT.

Vitnesses:

VVOLDEMAR HAUPT, HENRY HASPER. 

